The Galiano Conservancy owns a 17.4 ha piece of land on Mt. Sutil, which includes seven hectares of Garry oak and associated ecosystems. These south facing woodlands, grasslands, cliffs, and bluffs are home to an incredible diversity of plant and animal species. According to the Garry Oak Ecosystem Recovery Team (GOERT), there are over 100 provincially listed species at risk found in these ecosystems.
The Galiano Conservancy maps and monitors these lands for vegetation communities and continues to survey for rare species occurrences. Mt. Sutil has been acknowledged by botanists, biologists, and conservationists alike as being a rare example of relatively undisturbed Garry oak herb and grassland communities.
Biodiversity Galiano maintains a database of species encountered on Mount Sutil.
As part of the Galiano Conservancy’s ecological restoration efforts on Mt. Sutil, 13 hectares of land have been purged of introduced scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius). Often, this involves careful, rope-assisted work on steep, erodible slopes! But the work doesn’t end when the broom is cleared.
The ecological history of Garry oak ecosystems includes both environmental and human factors, making them unique socio-ecological systems. They face a variety of compounding threats which may require both Traditional Knowledge and novel approaches to address. As we continue to learn about these ecosystems, our approach to restoration evolves alongside our understanding.
This property is closed to the public in order to protect sensitive ecosystems.
Current management plan for Mt. Sutil
ViewExplore photos and other media captured at Mt. Sutil.
Explore the following resources to learn more about Mt. Sutil.
17.4 ha of a rare, intact Garry Oak ecosystem which harbours many species at risk
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6.73 ha of a complex man-made wetland ecosystem on the south end of the island
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18.12 ha of a large wetland with a colourful history connecting to the Pebble Beach Reserve
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11.5 ha protecting Galiano’s largest freshwater wetland and several species at risk
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61.5 ha of regenerating Coastal Douglas-fir forest at the centre of Qwxwulwi’s – Cable Bay
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The 76.1 ha Millard Learning Centre is the centrepiece of the Galiano Conservancy’s network of conservation lands. It is a living landscape where we practice participatory, restorative, and regenerative relationships with the more-than-human world.
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40.5 ha of forested conservation lands owned by the Islands Trust Conservancy
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26.5 ha of intact coastal ecosystems that we protected in 2022 in partnership with the Nature Trust of BC
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12 ha that protects rare coastal cliffside breeding habitat for cormorants and other birds, owned by the Islands Trust Conservancy
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4.2 ha of sensitive Garry Oak bluff habitat next to the Mt. Sutil Nature Sanctuary
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47 ha of ecologically-sensitive and diverse land, located at the narrowest point of the Mid-Island Protected Areas Network
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